Club Ink Blog

Digital printing is considered a contemporary production method that utilizes electronic files in order to produce prints. For instance, a graphic designer may choose to create some artwork on their desktop and then print it using a material that they like. Digital printing is considered a modern type of printing because it is different from traditional methods, which include letter press, lithography, flexography, and so forth. That is, there is no need to make plates with digital printing, nor do you need to manually strip the pieces together. You also don’t need to manufacture colour proofs and films with digital printing. Here, we breakdown how digital printing works and the advantages of using digital printing over other conventional forms.

How Digital Printing Works

First, an image is sent to the printer apparatus via digital files. There are many formats that you can use including, but not limited to, TIFF, PDF, and PSD. Most experts agree that digital printing works best when it is utilized for orders that are small in quantity, and where image quality is of the utmost importance. There are also no pre-press stages to worry about with digital printing between the document files and the finalized product. Moreover, digital printing bypasses many of the messy issues that accompany conventional printing techniques, including the need for formatting apparatuses such as photo chemicals and film plates.

The Stages of Production

If you are interested in digital printing in Toronto, then there are certain stages that you must follow in order to ensure that your printing takes place without a hitch. To begin, you must adequately prepare the file with a sharp and clean image. Also, in order to adhere to the print’s size requirements, the resolution must be sufficiently high enough to meet those requirements.

Bleed and crop marks will need to be added as required. For those unaware, crop marks are the lines that are found on the corners of the print. After the bleed is accurately trimmed off, the marks are added so that there won’t be any printed edges to worry about in the final document.

Next comes imposition, which is usually implemented to reduce the amount of paper that is wasted, as well as enhance production efficiency. That is, imposition is implemented to ensure that the maximum amount of space on the paper is utilized for the print.

The final stage is to take the text or image that you are planning to print and convert it before it is sent to your printer. That is, the electronic document file will need to be converted into a JPEG, TIFF, BMP, or GIF format. The aforementioned formats are sometimes referred to as bitmaps or raster image files. It is also sometimes possible to print PDF files if the software used is compatible.

Advantages of Digital Printing

There are many advantages with digital printing. For instance, digital printing offers a superb consistency and image quality when compared to conventional printing mediums. You don’t need to worry about any issues involved with harsh lines. In addition, the colours will appear absolutely perfectly on your prints. When you use digital printing, you can rest assured that the image quality of the last card, flyer, or brochure in a batch will be a facsimile to that of the first.

The delivery process is also accelerated significantly with digital printing because there are far fewer steps involved when compared to conventional printing methods. Hence, the final product is delivered far quicker.

The amount of money invested is also lower when compared to other printing techniques, as digital printing does not require printing plates, which can cost exorbitant amounts of money in some cases. As a result, the capital needed to set up a single job is significantly lower than traditional printing methods.

Digital printing is also the absolute best method currently available on the market for short and medium print runs. Those on a tight budget will be happy to know that digital printing is currently the most affordable means to customize direct mail pieces, business cards, direct mail letters, and other marketing materials.

The Bottom Line

In sum, digital printing is a new paradigm shift in an industry that has needed an overhaul for quite some time. The choices, flexibility, and features are second to none when compared to antiquated printing techniques such as flexographic and offset printing. With increasingly high standards, the printing apparatus must evolve so that the materials printed are not only up to date but also accurate. In other words, companies today require that the printers they use produce short run, high quality, and cost-effective prints in the least amount of time possible in order to keep their clients satisfied. As such, to keep up with the times and provide your clients with the best possible printing solution, going with digital printing is highly recommended.

The Club Ink Difference

If you would like to learn more about how digital printing works, or require the best digital printing services in Toronto, then please call us at 416-694-1996. We will be more than happy to provide you with a free, no obligation quote and consultation so that you can discuss your needs with our printing experts without concern.

With over 30 years of experience in the printing industry, Club Ink has rapidly evolved to become the best digital printing enterprise in the GTA. Our dedicated team has experience in offset printing, the fashion industry, graphic design, sign substrate manufacturing, sign fabrication, and sign installation. We also produce state-of-the-art displays, decals, textiles, banners, and posters for our clients, no matter how small or big the order. To learn more, call us at 416-694-1996 or contact us here.